The Valletta 2018 Foundation Evaluation & Monitoring Research Plan is structured around five research themes, with each theme containing separate studies. These themes area (i) Cultural & Territorial Vibrancy, analysing the cultural programme, cultural participation and changes in European identity; (ii) Governance & Finance, evaluating the investment and management in Valletta 2018 and the related impact on Malta’s creative sector; (iii) Community & Space, assessing impact of Valletta 2018 and of cultural and infrastructural regeneration projects on various community groups; (iv) the Tourist Experience, looking at the changes in visitor profile, tourist expenditure and visitor motivation to travel as a result of Valletta 2018; and, (v) the Valletta brand, documenting the Valletta 2018 communication strategy within different communities. The Foundation has set up an Evaluation & Monitoring Steering Committee to monitor and evaluate the process and impacts of Valletta as an ECoC. The Steering Committee is composed of four public entities (Economic & Policy Department within the Ministry for Finance, Jobsplus, Malta Tourism Authority and National Statistics Office) and five researchers who are conducting research of a quantitative and qualitative manner. The process is coordinated and managed by the Research Department of the Valletta 2018 Foundation. The research process will run for the period 2015-2019, with results being presented annually. The final impacts will be presented in mid-2019, whilst research to evaluate the medium and long term impacts of the ECoC currently being planned as well as the possibility of carrying out comparability studies with other ECoCs.

The main focus of the evaluation of Valletta 2018
The Valletta 2018 evaluation process covers a number of areas and themes. Along the process, the Foundation has tried to rethink the way evaluation and monitoring within an ECoC is carried out, by coordinating an extensive and longitudinal research process which looks at the different themes and areas which are impacted through an ECoC. The Foundation chose to coordinate this process directly, to enable the results, being produced annually, to constantly feed into the Foundation’s organisation and implementation of the programme, thus allowing the process to be a constantly ongoing evaluation process. The process covers the areas of cultural participation, and engagement, quite widely. The process researches the organisation and management of the projects as well as documenting and evaluating participation and attendance to such events. Evaluation also looks extensively at the impact of the ECoC title on the local community of Valletta, and on the city’s wider community, in terms of the programme accessibility, with accessibility being defined on purpose rather widely. The Foundation also looks at how Valletta has changed and is changing, as well as how the city’s social and urban fabric are changing and the impacts of this on the community and the image of the city. Research looking at the community and space of Valletta is definitely challenging but helps us to generate results which can be utilized to ensure that the impact of Valletta 2018 is truly reflected on its community and its space to allow us to create a liveable space and lead the way for a lasting legacy post 2018. 

Graziella Vella
Graziella Vella is the Research Coordinator for the Valletta 2018 Foundation. Her responsibilities within the Foundation include documenting the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) process through evaluation and monitoring of all aspects and promoting research projects and collaborations. Born and raised in Valletta, Graziella is committed to ensure different community members are given the best tools to actively participate in the ECoC and beyond. She holds a first degree in Tourism Studies from the University of Malta and has obtained an MSc in Cultural Management with distinction from the University of Ulster. Her research has focused on the impacts the European Capital of Culture title produces on the regeneration of the cultural tourism product, in view of Valletta 2018. Her professional background includes financial management and administration, and customer relations through her experience as Executive within Heritage Malta.